Nigeria condemns death of citizen in South African police custody
The consulate said reports that Mr Odueze was tortured by police officers before his death had caused shock and pain to his family, the Nigerian community and Nigeria’s two diplomatic missions in South Africa. The post…
The death of a Nigerian national, identified as Odueze Chimezie Odueze, in South African police custody has reignited longstanding concerns over the treatment of Nigerians and other African migrants by South African law enforcement. Nigeria's diplomatic missions in South Africa, including the Consulate General in Johannesburg, have periodically had to intervene in cases involving the detention, deportation, or deaths of Nigerian citizens, with rights groups and Nigerian officials repeatedly flagging allegations of police brutality and xenophobic hostility against African nationals in the country.
The incident threatens to strain relations between Abuja and Pretoria, which have seen periodic diplomatic friction over the safety of Nigerians in South Africa, including past waves of xenophobic attacks targeting foreign-owned businesses and migrants. Both Premium Times and ThisDay report that the Nigerian Consulate General has called for an investigation, with allegations that Odueze was tortured before his death causing distress among the Nigerian community in South Africa. What remains unreported is the outcome of any South African police or government response, the specific circumstances leading to his arrest, and whether any disciplinary or criminal action will follow.